1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pipe plugs and devices utilizing a drive means to insert a plug into an open-ended pipe. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method that forcibly inserts a tapered plug into a pipe end to eliminate leaking fluid therefrom, comprising a pipe saddle surrounding the pipe and a means for drawing the plug into the open pipe using a safe and reliable method that allows normal operation to be resumed shortly after its application.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hydrocarbon drilling and production operations involve drilling deep within the ground to reach natural reserves for extraction. These drilling operations involve immense downhole well pressure, as the deposits are under considerable pressure in their natural state prior to being extracted. This creates potential safety hazards for the operators involved in the drilling process, a potential hazard for the environment and risk for equipment utilized in the process if safety measures are bypassed or overcome. If a drilling operation is not carefully managed and operated, an event known as a well blowout can occur. A well blowout involves an uncontrolled release of crude or natural gas from a well after pressure control and other safety systems have failed to properly activate. These situations lead to dispersement of petroleum products and other downhole matter into the local environment, which creates contamination issues that can kill local wildlife and create a flammability risk for nearby well workers. Uncontrolled or lengthy well blowouts can be catastrophic for a region and devastating to the local ecosystem. These events are also extremely costly, from the perspective of the well owner and the local populous that has to live in proximity to such wells.
Adequate safety measures are therefore in place to prevent such occurrences; however blow outs are still a concern for the drilling and petroleum industry, as their results can have disastrous consequences for those directly involved, as well as for those downstream from the event that rely on a given habitat for food and jobs. Of particular concern with regard to the present invention are deep water drilling activities, wherein wells are accessed several thousand feet below the ocean surface. This type of drilling has increased in recent years, and has included some notable blowout events that have crippled entire regions and caused considerable damage to the local environment.
Safety measures to combat these risks include blowout preventer devices, which are most commonly categorized into the ram or annular blowout preventers. These devices have been developed to prevent blowout events and to deal with the varying pressures and uncontrolled flow of fluid from a downhole well during drilling. They comprise large, specialized valves used to seal oil and gas wells. While fulfilling a given requirement when in operation, these devices are not completely foolproof, and have been known to fail.
The present invention comprises a device designed to seal a leaking well or pipe after a blowout or leak has occurred. The devices currently available in the prior art lack the ability to securely and safely plug a gushing pipe under high pressure, and to allow the continued operation of the pipe thereafter. The present invention is adapted to couple with an open pipe end using a saddle device, which surrounds the circumference of a pipe and provides a base for which to winch down a sealing structure that further comprises a platform having a blowout plate, a pipe plug, placement for working vehicles or tools and an orifice to direct the leaking fluid into an attached pipe. The platform is a large, three sided structure that supports the plug and directs the high pressure fluid through its central orifice during operation. Between the platform and the saddle are vertical support arms that are utilized to provide stability and prevent separation between the pipe end and the platform as the two are engaged. A set of threaded rods are utilized to draw the platform towards the open pipe, slowly closing the gap between the plug and the open pipe until the plug engageably seats therein, sealing the leak and routing the pipe fluid into an attached pipe above the platform. The rods are controlled by a powered drive means, such as a rotary drilling tool that allows the rods to rotate and advance the platform closer to the pipe.
The primary goal of the present invention is to engage a leaking pipe in a controlled and safety-conscious manner, utilizing a device that can be carefully controlled and lowered onto a leaking pipe end for closure thereof. The device employs redundant means to prevent dislocation during operation, which could lead to further problems. It also allows for continued operation of the pipe after engagement of the device. In this way, the well experiences minimal downtime while reducing the amount of dispersed petroleum therefrom.
Devices in the art have been disclosed for pipe plugs with varying structural features and designs. While these devices may satisfactorily fulfill a given requirement, they fail to describe the structural elements of the present invention, its spirit or its method for capping to and plugging a leaking pipe end.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,377 to Throup describes a pipe fitting adapted to install within an aperture of a fluid container. The device comprises an inner and outer co-axial sleeve member, along with a split, helically wound washer. The device is adapted to envelope a pipe and provide a plug for an aperture along its outer surface. This device is useful for plugging holes in the surface of a pipe, but is not adapted to engage the end of a pipe and provide a plug to prevent fluid leakage therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,162 to Yoli describes a plug designed to close steam lines in a boiling-water reactor. The device comprises an elongated rubber member that is compressed by axial compression in order to form a seal that holds the plug in place within the pipe and prevents leaking steam therefrom. The mechanism for achieving the plug seal is similar to the present invention, wherein drive screws draw a platform having a plug into the end of a pipe. While similar in concept, its structure and its application range vastly differs from the present invention.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2011/0126933 to Bowie describes a pipe end-sealing tool that engages the outer wall of the pipe and provides a means to pressure test the integrity of the pipe. This device engages a pipe end with an external means, allowing a plug to be fitted therein. The intent and structure of the Bowie device, however, are substantially divergent from the present invention.
The present invention provides a novel means and method for engaging a pipe end with a plug and simultaneously providing an outgoing route for flowing fluid therethrough. A saddle is attached to the exterior of the pipe below the pipe end, and is used as a ground support to winch a platform into place over the leaking pipe end. A tapered, apertured plug seals the plug and provides an auxiliary pipe for which to divert exiting fluid. Support bars establish a safeguard for the winching means, preventing the platform from dislodging therefrom under pressure load from existing pipe end fluid. They further allow adjustment of the plug position to ensure the plug properly seats into the pipe end. Prior to engagement, the aperture in the plug provides a path for exiting fluid to reduce pressure on the platform as it is lowered into place. The devices in the prior art fail to address the needs satisfied by the present invention. Further, its structure substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art. Consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing pipe end plug devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.